The Snake of Transformation
Revisioning the Fall
The snake has been an important symbol of transformation since my deconstruction from Christianity. The snake in the Garden of Eden has long been demonized as a deceiver, who (along with the weak will of Eve) was the cause of the downfall of man. In my revisioning of Christian lore and mythological symbols, the snake in the Garden has expanded meaning.
In my perspective now, the snake is the liberator of humanity, not the downfall. The snake brought enlightenment to humans, just as Prometheus brought fire from the gods, so too did the snake bring Knowledge. In eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam and Eve saw the “god” they worshipped for who he actually was - a lion (in the Nag Hammadi scrolls described as Yaldabouth) roaming the earth to devour the souls of man. It was the feminine curiosity, the will to Know that freed humanity from being enslaved to this abusive deity.
Eve was not the first wife of Adam - Lilith was. Lilith was born of the goddess of chaos, Tiamet, herself and Yaldabouth despised her power. She could not be deceived because she was Knowledge embodied herself. So Yaldabouth fashioned a mate for Adam from man himself - for she would be able to be deceived into subservience. But the divine spark of Sophia still emanated from Eve, whose name means Life.
The serpent in the garden is sometimes known as Enki or Sabbouth, helper and liberator of humanity. Sabbouth is the name of the sun (as in Sunday - the Sabbath day) and when Sophia became (not created) the world, Sabbouth lovingly brought her into his orbit. When Yaldabouth began claiming dominion over Her body (the world), Sabbouth again came to Sophia’s aid, bringing Knowledge to Eve - Life.
Serpents in other cultures represent enlightenment too - the kundalini arising. What this tells me is our desires bring Knowledge, that trusting in what we want expands our consciousness beyond control. I trust in my Body to be in relationship with the earth, to feel the grief of all that is and embody the power to not be deceived by abusive & toxic systems of oppression.
I love you for all that you are - sending you exactly what you need to trust in your Self and eat the fruit of Knowledge.